


Enchanted Romance

by WacheyPena



Series: Wachey's ColdFlash Fanart [18]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Character Death, Fairy AU, Fanart, Fluff, M/M, So it's the bad guys who get it, This is like a cheesy disney thing, mentions of westthawne, not Len or Barry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-29
Updated: 2018-04-08
Packaged: 2018-12-08 16:05:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11650017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WacheyPena/pseuds/WacheyPena
Summary: A simple coldflash fairy!AU that features fanart to go with the story. Enough said.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Tags will be updated and the rating may change though this fic is purely fluff at the moment.

Despite its title as "The Grand Temple of Spring," the church where citizens of the Primavera Kingdom came to worship was actually quite simple in its design. If anything were 'grand' about it, it would be the immense size of the trees used as columns inside of its hallways. Their leaves and edible nuts falling onto the cobble stoned pathways, and often times providing entertainment for bored young children waiting on their parents to finish with prayers. 

All were welcome inside of its walls, regardless of what they were praying for. The most common pleas pertained to good fortune, health, offspring, protection and love. The very last being the reason for why Barry Allen was entering the temple.

It had been quite a few seasons since he last visited the establishment for his best friend's wedding. The event itself had been bittersweet for him, as he had been in love with Iris West-- now Iris Thawne-- and couldn't help but be reminded of it whenever he entered the building.

Fortunately, he had moved on, his friendship with Iris undeterred if not stronger than before. His loneliness, on the other hand, had grown unbearable. So after flying with his dragonfly wings around the nearby forest for the perfect flower to offer as tribute, he flew to the temple and met Iris inside. She had offered to join him in his prayers, wanting him to find love as she had.

Smiling in greeting, Iris's purple butterfly wings fluttered as she held back from hugging him, because she didn't want to crush his shrine gift. It wasn't necessarily required, but often times a small token such as a flower, food or cloth brought added luck.

"Is that what I think it is?" she asked, recognizing the flower instantly: a blue iris.

"Yes, it's supposed to represent faith and hope," Barry explained, giving a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes in return.

Iris squeezed his shoulder in comfort, knowing her friend was feeling very little of either quality.

The two of them proceeded to walk further into the temple to one of the main rooms, not noticing another fairy watching them as they went along.

This was Eobard Thawne, one of many relatives to Iris's husband, Eddie, and a fellow fairy with dragonfly wings like Barry. He hadn't been too thrilled when Eddie and Iris got married. In fact, he had downright protested against it. Their family was one of the strongest and purest, and her genes would muddle it up!

Then, he had been chastised by a very protective Barry Allen, who in his anger and passion had been the most beautiful sight Eobard had ever seen! Wanting to get into the man's good graces so he could pursue him in courtship, Eobard had swallowed his pride and went straight to Iris to apologize for all his negative behavior.

Convincing her of his sincerity had been tricky, but worth it as it earned him at least some respect if not tolerance from Barry. The following months after the wedding were then used to Eobard's advantage as Barry's broken heart was obvious to anyone with eyes. He didn't outright offer himself up as an alternative of course, because he was no one's rebound, but he had extended his hand in friendship. It was then just a matter of stalking and 'bumping into' Barry at the right times so he could provide comfort.

There was also the matter of driving off any rivals for Barry's affections. The yellow-winged fairy was attractive and an ideal mate for anyone. He had just been too blinded by his love for Iris to notice if others showed interest. Eobard, in contrast, noticed every look and flirtatious smile thrown his way, and did what needed to be done to drive them off.

He did not do so outright, because nothing was kept secret in this town and Barry would inevitably find out if he had mistreated someone or not. Instead, he resorted to acts of 'kindness,' such as pulling a few favors so Patty Spivot-- a fairy who had been upfront about her interest in Barry, which resulted in a short affair between them-- could get her dream job. Said job was in another part of the kingdom, so she had to choose between staying with Barry or following her dreams.

Barry, the kind sap, didn't begrudge her for choosing the latter. Either way, Eobard had brought over some of Barry's favorite sweets after the break up.

One could say at this point that Eobard had reached casual friend status. What he needed to do now was to perform more glorious feats so as to grab Barry's attention and paint him as perfect mate material. And it started with the temple.

When Barry finished with his prayers, Eobard intended to have a casual conversation with one of the priests in regards to his donation and service. Said conversation would be said within earshot of Barry and Iris so it would catch their attention. Ideally, he'd like for Barry to join in and express how impressed he was with the news that Eobard was volunteering and helping the unfortunate. But the most likely result would be a head tilt in their direction and perhaps a smile and a nod in acknowledgement.

Of course, when his plans did not go his way due to the priest not showing up around the time Barry and Iris were leaving, Eobard improvised by standing within sight and showing some signs of irritation.

"Eobard, is everything alright?" Barry asked, as the concerned friend he tended to be.

"Hm? Oh, Barry, Iris! What a pleasant surprise! I was just waiting on the head priest to discuss my donation to the temple," he explained.

"You're donating to the temple?" Iris questioned, a little suspicious. She may have forgiven him for his behavior towards her in the beginning, but she still reacted warily around him.

"Yes, because my riches would do far more good helping those less fortunate instead of rotting away in the treasury," Eobard responded in a neutral tone. Getting defensive would only encourage conflict between the two of them and would dampen his chances with Barry. Her approval was key.

"Oh, that's wonderful, Eobard! I'm sure what you give will go a long way," Barry said, nearly giving a full smile.

"I hope so," Eobard replied, beaming at receiving such praise. Before he could say more though, he spotted the head priest headed his way, so he politely stated: "It was lovely seeing the two of you, but I must be off to my meeting."

And so with a small nod in farewell, he departed, his mind scheming further to make himself appear more gracious and kind, at least in Barry's eyes.

Iris waited till they had exited the temple before letting a shiver run down her body as she proclaimed: "That man irks me."

"Eddie's whole family irks you," Barry pointed out, but he knew why. Eobard hadn't been the only one who had objected to the marriage, he was just the only one to have been stupid enough to voice it.

"Anyway, now that we are officially away from temple grounds, what type of person did you pray for?" Iris said, preferring this topic over her issues with her in-laws. It was a little taboo to reveal one's wishes inside of the church, as it could prevent their prayers from coming true. Outside of it was free game.

"The usual, a kind and honest person," Barry replied vaguely, shrugging his shoulders. Taking to the air, he intended to go hunting for some grub for dinner.

Iris followed after him, struggling a bit since her wings weren't designed for speed like his. He wasn't flying as fast as he could, but it still took some effort for her to keep up.

"Don't be vague with me, Barry, you know what I meant," Iris softly chided.

"I know, it's just-- I figured being less specific would increase my chances of finding someone," Barry explained.

"Okay, I can understand that," Iris replied, biting her lip as she looked away.

"What did you do?" Barry questioned, knowing that look.

"I may have prayed for some specific stuff," Iris admitted giving her friend a sheepish smile.

"What type of stuff?" Barry asked, pausing mid-flight and crossing his arms. It was his 'don't you lie to me,' pose, which he had copied from his adopted father, Iris's dad Joe.

"Just that they were beautiful, had a kind heart, an honest soul, a dorky sense of humor to match yours, and that they grew up similar enough to you so they'd get you and not get all sympathetic or judge-y," Iris listed off rapidly.

"So basically Patty?" Barry replied, remembering his previous relationship.

"Hence me adding that they had similar goals and would stay with you," Iris countered.

"Thanks, Iris, but the last thing I expect is to find another person like her," Barry said, the darkness in his heart contributing to his words.

"Right, you'll find someone even better for you," Iris stated with confidence. She had enough faith for the both of them.

Spotting her home, she bid her friend farewell, giving him a firm hug before returning to the dwelling she shared with her husband.

Thus, leaving Barry to fly alone as he resumed his hunting for a meal. Small insects, fish, nuts and berries were the go to food for fairies and he was currently low on everything. He had been so caught up in finding a flower this morning that he hadn't gone with the daily raid to stock up on supplies. Hunting and gathering on his own wasn't necessarily a bad thing, it just meant he had to be extra cautious and aware of his surroundings.

It was common knowledge that birds found fairies to be ideal food, and sometimes a flock or murder of them would attack the kingdom. There were safety protocols for such attacks, but that didn't guarantee that everyone would survive. In fact, Barry's parents had both fallen victim to such an assault.

Shaking his head of any further dark thoughts, as he had had enough of those lately, Barry concentrated on finding something to eat. Discovering some juicy berries, he reached for his satchel only to realize he wasn't wearing it. He forgot it at home!

Groaning, he was about to turn back for home when something white caught his eye on the ground below. It looked like a dead fairy!

Landing quickly, Barry was able to take in more details and noted the clothing on the individual was very different from his own as they wore boots, long sleeves and a long tunic. They also had quite a few injuries, very fresh, from some form of attack. Barry couldn't tell what type though as he wasn't an expert. The only thing he could guess was that this fairy was from the Invierno Kingdom, judging by his white wings and the fluff around his neck.

Carefully, Barry placed his hand in front of the fairy's face and was relieved to feel breath against it. He was alive!

-tbc

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Art references/sources for the backgrounds I used in the fanart:
> 
> http://comeha.deviantart.com/art/Chrystal-Empire-Throne-Room-2-666097272  
> http://mlp-vectorclub.deviantart.com/art/Campsite-Background-418340950


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What led to Leonard's current situation.

The Invierno Kingdom, like its name implied, was a cold and harsh place. There was still enough food and natural resources to make a decent living, but some families barely scraped by. What families did manage to flourish only did so out of thievery and war, which often times left a different group of fairies in charge of everything. Thus, one's alliances were always changing, fairies who were once allies became enemies.

Not even family could be completely trusted, if Lewis Snart were anything to judge by. He was willing to sell off his own daughter for a half-rotted fish! Leonard, his eldest offspring, had been working off Lewis's debt at the time and couldn't prevent it. But he damn sure got her back before her buyer had any chance to touch one hair on her head.

His doing so had cost both him and his sister a home, but by that point in their lives they were better off homeless. It was certainly easier stealing for two and sharing the spoils equally rather than giving the lion's share to the abusive, no good son of a bitch that had been their father.

It wasn't too much later that two became three as Mick Rory literally burst into their lives via an explosion he had caused. His family were a rare sort of fairy-type that could produce bursts of flame and often times worked as bombs for hire. That is, until someone found them to be a threat and killed all but one of them off. Mick was that lone survivor, and he had been on a revenge spree when he stumbled upon Leonard and Lisa huddled together trying to stave off the cold.

The pair reminded Mick of his lost siblings, which led to him taking them in and offering them shelter in his den. It wasn't much, and they were wary of him as much as he was wary of them, but it beat dealing with the cold. And it was certainly better than being alone.

It took Lisa getting sick and Mick finding what they needed for medicine before Leonard began trusting the other fairy. Then, it was just a matter of time and practice until the three of them earned a reputation as the best thieves for hire. At least in their sector.

There was an official thieves guild, but like everything else, leaders and other powerful members tended to change with the seasons. Their rules, on the other hand, generally stayed the same, and it was those more than the constant power struggle in rank that bothered Leonard.

First and foremost: if a fairy snitched, they got ditched. Reasonable, as no one wanted to associate with someone who'd so easily betray them. That rule though didn't consider the fact that if a fairy was caught, they were put through rigorous torture till they gave up something. Of course this led to their second rule: don't get caught. A task easier said than done as it required either teamwork or immense skill to avoid any security provided by their target. The former was clearly not a reliable option. So the vast majority of the guild's members were loners always on the look out for someone better to work with and use.

There were other rules too, but Leonard found fault with all of them, because they encouraged fairies to look out only for themselves. He couldn't imagine himself sacrificing Lisa or Mick for some petty score. So when they were offered positions among the guild, he declined, his family backing up his decision without question.

Apparently, no one had ever rejected the guild before, and they didn't like it if the sudden increase of bounty hunters were anything to judge by. They had their own guild too, but Leonard had no intention of getting familiar with them anytime soon if he could help it.

Instead, he chose to concentrate on their latest score, which was some ancient family heirloom the current rulers were eager to pay handsomely for. They had to get it fast, as there was no telling how long this family would have the goods to give in reward.

Lisa, being the fastest flier of the three with her sleek black and gold wings, stayed out and circled around the decrepit building as a lookout for any trouble. Any hint of it and she'd give the signal in the form of a whistle before flying off to their chosen safety point.

Inside, Mick and Leonard moved at a cautious but fast pace, sticking to the shadows in case there were any others already inside trying to steal the loot before them. It had happened before, but that didn't mean they couldn't take it from them if the opportunity arose. After all, there wasn't a rule that said the first people to retrieve the item were automatically entitled to the booty.

Another reason it was fruitful to both stay quiet and hidden: owls, such as the one they found resting in its nest. Among the strewn about grass and feathers were various objects, including the artifact they came to steal.

  


This is where Leonard's own rules came into play. Yes, despite his contention for the guild's codes, he knew they were necessary to survive. And his rules were:  make the plan, execute the plan, expect the plan to go off the rails, and throw away the plan. Despite its simplicity, it was far more effective and hadn't failed them yet.

Using hand signals, Leonard gestured for Mick to startle and frighten the beast away with a fire blast. The other fairy nodded before moving away to find another entrance into the bird's nest. The closer he could get without being seen the better. Leonard moved to do the same, only his goal was to get closer to the treasure.

The next few moments were tense as Leonard waited for his friend to strike, his body taut and ready to move. No harm would actually come to the bird, but it was a threat they needed to get rid of.

At the first sounds of crackling in the air, Leonard moved, knowing they were the noise that preceded Mick's attacks. Flames followed, hitting the bird's rump and causing it to squawk in shock before it flew up out of its nest in clumsy haste. It failed to notice Leonard nearing its refuge, which gave him time to snatch up what they came to find and start running back out of sight. He didn't pause to look for where the bird had gone, because it would've slowed him down and increased his chances of getting caught by it.

Once safely hidden in the shadows, he finally took the chance to listen for the bird's location, and more importantly for his sister. The bird had caused such a ruckus he hoped she had heard and had taken the time to hide.

Unfortunately, that was not the case as he heard her scream in alarm, the owl hissing in response.

Instantly and without hesitation, Leonard was flying out of the ruins and towards the owl itself. When he was close enough, he threw the very thing they worked so hard to steal at the bird. His sister's life was more important than any stupid trinket.

His attempt to get the owl's attention worked, and a little too well as it set its sights on him. He barely had time to shout at his sister to find Mick and get to safety before he was flying as fast as he could, drawing the bird away. He would have to use every trick in the book to survive this encounter.

The owl was fast and quickly catching up to him so he attempted to dive towards the ground, its talons nearly ensnaring him by his wings. But the move only gained him a moment before the bird was on him again, this time managing to clutch onto his upper body. He couldn't help but shout in pain as the owl attempted to crush him in its grasp, snapping bone. But the beast didn't count on him freeing one of his arms and pulling a knife to stab at its feet.

Immediately released, Leonard flew away with what strength he had left, not caring what direction he was headed, so long as he found a place to hide. There was no place close enough though, and he continued to hear the owl's hissing behind him. He had to keep going!

Functioning on pure adrenaline, he failed to notice the change in his surroundings as night in the Invierno Kingdom faded into a morning in Primavera. Not familiar with the area, he bumped into plants he hadn't seen before, causing himself further injury. The hissing finally stopped though, which was a relief and allowed Leonard to slow his flight so he could carefully land and figure out what to do. At least, that had been the plan till he blacked out.

When he next awoke it was with a painful groan and the feeling of soft bed sheets. He panicked, sitting up despite his body's protests, and tried to figure out how he could've gotten into a bed when the last thing he saw was dirt. Who had found him?

His answer came in the form of the cutest fairy he had ever seen. This fairy was tall and lanky, with short brown hair, bright hazel eyes, and a smile as bright as the sun. Said smile also looked relieved as the other fairy greeted: "Hey, glad to see you're awake! I brought some water in case you were thirsty."

  


"Thank you," Leonard replied politely, which was rare for him to do, but he felt so flustered and unprepared. He took the offered glass and drank it to both soothe his throat and calm his nerves.

"You've probably got some questions, like where you are, which is the Primavera Kingdom by the way, and oh-- my name is Barry. Barry Allen," the other fairy stammered in explanation, a light blush staining his cheeks, which made him even more attractive.

Leonard must have hit his head during the fall, he was acting silly.

"Are you okay? Did you need more water Mr...?" Barry asked, his concern quite clear. He looked so sincere too, which made sense if what little Leonard knew of the spring fairies were true.

"Wynters, Leonard Wynters," he replied. He was still within the right mind not to give away his real identity as it often led to trouble with some people. He had no way of knowing if Barry was related to any of his enemies.

"Oh, well, Mr. Wynters--" Barry started to say.

"Just call me Len," Leonard said without thinking, proving he wasn't completely in control of his faculties as only Lisa and Mick were allowed to use the nickname.

Either way, it earned him another smile which he found himself admiring once again. Was there something in the water? Maybe the plant life had some special pollen in it?

Or perhaps this fairy with wings Leonard had only heard about was just that enchanting?

-tbc

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Art sources:  
> https://proenix.deviantart.com/art/Column-1-324867505
> 
> https://zutheskunk.deviantart.com/art/MLP-Resource-Bgr-003-old-castle-corridor-283721628
> 
> https://jeatz-axl.deviantart.com/art/Manehattan-Street-427848334
> 
> https://zutheskunk.deviantart.com/art/MLP-Resource-Random-Clutter-005-311347478
> 
> https://bb-k.deviantart.com/art/Crown-of-Princess-Platinum-274530494
> 
> https://zutheskunk.deviantart.com/art/MLP-Resource-Alicorn-Amulet-01-340720746
> 
> https://zutheskunk.deviantart.com/art/MLP-Resource-Twilicorn-Crown-01-359381141
> 
> https://dasprid.deviantart.com/art/Twilight-s-Medallion-453925965
> 
> https://dasprid.deviantart.com/art/Bitcoin-Key-443554495
> 
> https://wachey.deviantart.com/art/Library-Bedroom-282440005


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leonard gets settled in, and news of his stay spreads. (This chapter is dialogue heavy.)

"Did you hear about that winter fairy that was found half-dead near the edge of town?"  
  
"What? No way!"  
  
"It's true! He had white fluff around his neck and everything!"  
  
"Who is he?"  
  
"No one knows! But I'll bet it has to do with something nasty! You know what they say about that place!"  
  
"Yeah, he's probably some banished bandit or something!"  
  
"What if he's a banished prince?"  
  
Eobard found himself rolling his eyes at that last statement. Honestly, the gossip in this town could get way out of hand! The only good that came of it was news of recent events.  
  
A wayward fairy was of no concern to him though, and so he continued to peruse the market place for certain items. He intended to bake something especially sweet for Barry tonight, and he had to have the right ingredients! If there was one thing he knew well, it was the other fairy's love of sweets.  
  
Scrutinizing various spices in one booth, Eobard bumped into a familiar face: Caitlin Snow. She was an intelligent fairy, being a medic, and if not for her half-breed status, he would've considered courting her in the past. For now they were simply friends and occasional work associates.  
  
  
  
Noting the various salves she had in her basket, Eobard's curiosity got the best of him as he asked: "I take it you're caring for the latest addition to our town?"  
  
"Hm? Oh, um, I am attending to his injuries, yes, but he's staying elsewhere," Caitlin explained politely. She was very much aware of the gossip mill, and had no intention of adding to it if she could prevent it.  
  
"Oh? He's not dangerous, is he?" Eobard asked, feigning concern.  
  
"Not in his current condition," Caitlin clarified quickly. The last thing she wanted to do was to start a panic over nothing, but at the same time she knew nothing about this other fairy and wasn't sure how safe it was to leave her friend alone with him. For all they knew, he'd wake up in a murderous rage, and poor Barry would be his first victim!  
  
No, she needed to calm herself! Her friend was more than able to defend himself if need be, and the extensive injuries would hinder anyone.  
  
"Caitlin, be honest with me, I am a friend after all," Eobard said firmly. He could tell she was hiding something, and he had a feeling he wouldn't like what it was.  
  
Looking around to make sure no one was paying them any attention, Caitlin leaned in close to whisper: "Barry was the one to find him and is letting him stay in his home. I'm worried for him."  
  
It was as though ice had been poured into his very veins. Barry was housing this bandit!? Something had to be done to rectify this immediately!  
  
Receiving a concerned look from Caitlin-- no doubt a reaction to his seething expression-- Eobard took a moment to collect himself and offered: "Perhaps I should go with you upon your return? To assess and make sure he understands that we will not tolerate anything untoward happening to our friend."  
  
Eobard pleaded in response to Caitlin's questioning brow: "Don't worry, if he is really of no threat, I shall leave him be, but please, for Barry's sake, let me come along."  
  
"Thank you for offering, but I'm afraid I must decline, as it is not my place to invite along guests to Barry's home. But what I can do is inform Barry that a concerned friend will be coming by from time to time to check in on them when I am unable," Caitlin replied carefully. She was well aware of his wrath due to working with him in the past, and she had no desire to cause a scene in the middle of the market.  
  
It was hardly the answer Eobard wanted to hear, but at the same time it gave him the perfect excuse to visit at any given time. So with that in mind he stated: "I understand, and you're right, Barry has quite enough on his plate without having to worry about an extra guest tonight. Do let him know I'll be visiting tomorrow morning with breakfast provisions."  
  
He left swiftly before Caitlin had a chance to reply.  
  
\----  
  
After being assisted with putting on a fresh pair of pants-- his previous clothing having been thrown away since they were completely ruined-- Len took the opportunity to seek privacy inside of Barry's lavatory. He needed to get a grip on his nerves, and figure out how he was going to let his sister and Mick know that he was in fact alive and recovering. It wasn't like the Invierno Kingdom had a functioning messenger system to speak of, so asking for a mail-bug wouldn't work.  
  
Then, there was the matter of payment for Barry's services. So far, he had provided Len with medical aide, a bed to sleep in, and some clothing. All of these were considered quite expensive back home, and Len didn't have diddly squat to offer other than his body or free labor. The former he had never given to anyone, and he wasn't about to start now even if Barry was the most darling fairy he had ever met.  
  
Exiting the bathroom, his expression blank, Len questioned: "Not that I don't appreciate this, Barry, but what's the catch?"  
  
"Catch?" Barry replied, lifting one brow in confusion.  
  
"You have saved my life, and are allowing me to stay in your home. What do I owe you?" Len reiterated.  
  
"You don't owe me anything. I'm just trying to help you," Barry shrugged, like it was normal.  
  
"In my experience, no one helps for free," Len said, his eyes starting to narrow and scrutinize the other fairy.  
  
He had heard of how horrible things could be in the winter lands, but Barry couldn't help sighing softly, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes as he briefly imagined Len being hurt enough times that he didn't trust any act of kindness.  
  
He blinked them away though as he finally replied: "I-- I honestly don't know what to say to that, but I can assure you, I don't expect anything in return, except maybe friendship?"  
  
"Friendship?" Len said, his own brow quirking upward.  
  
"Look, things are different here. I mean-- if it makes you uncomfortable, and you really feel like paying me back in some way, I guess...tidying up the place could work?" Barry suggested, shrinking in on himself just a tad in worry that he may have offended the other fairy.  
  
"I can do that," Len agreed, his shoulders lowering as he let his suspicions go for now.  
  
The matter settled, Barry sighed in relief and attempted to take Len on a tour of his home. They were currently on the third floor, which held his bedroom and bathroom. The floor above it doubled as both an attic space and observatory.  
  
"Observatory?" Len asked, a teasing smirk on his face, because the usage of that word to describe an attic sounded quite pretentious to him.  
  
"You know, to watch the stars! And to look out for any birds," Barry explained, blushing at the sight of Len's expression. The smirk added a devilish charm to his face, which Barry should have found troubling, but instead drew him further in.  
  
It was swiftly replaced with a look of concern though as Len asked: "Do they attack often?"  
  
"Uh, it uh, depends on the season. During spring they're too busy courting but as soon as summer hits and they've got mouths to feed..." Barry stumbled to explain.  
  
"If that's the case, why venture out at all during that time? Why not stock up on supplies before then?" Len questioned.  
  
"Oh believe me, we do, it's just grub is more plentiful in that time too, so we send out teams in shifts. A tunnel system has been suggested, but it takes a lot of time and work that not many are willing to put in," Barry replied. It was a fact that frustrated him to no end, as a tunnel could have possibly saved his parents lives.  
  
At the word grub, Len's stomach rumbled loudly, reminding them both that he had yet to eat. Normally, he'd ignore it as food was scarce back home and it wasn't uncommon to go a day or two without eating. But for Barry, that would simply not do. So he led them downstairs to the main floor which held his kitchen and library.  
  
It wasn't often Len was stupefied, but he had never seen so many intact books in one location before, let alone in someone's abode. More often than not, they were tattered or burned. So to see them like this implied both luxury and wealth in a way Barry probably didn't even realize.  
  
His fascination did not go unnoticed either as Barry asked: "Do you read?"  
  
Len hesitated, because on the one hand he wanted to, oh how he wanted to, but on the other it was a distraction he couldn't afford to indulge. Not when he still had family to try and contact. Besides, from what he could see of their titles, the subject matter was probably way above his level.  
  
Barry didn't want to assume the other couldn't read, but the drawn-out silence left a dreaded weight in his stomach. Now more than ever he wanted to help this fairy in any way he could.  
  
Yet before he could make an offer there was a knock on his door. Assuming it was Caitlin, he instructed Len to wait as he undid the locks to let her in. She walked in with two filled baskets of salves, bandages and a few food items, both of which Barry took to set aside on his dining table.  
  
"Oh, I see our patient is up and about," she greeted upon seeing Len standing near a bookshelf. Judging from the posture of his wings, which had tightened up closer to his body, she could see he was just as nervous if not more so than she was. Much to her shame that put her at ease and made it easier to approach him.  
  
Holding out her hand she introduced: "I'm Caitlin Snow, I'll be your medic during your stay here."  
  
"Leonard, Leonard Wynters," Len replied, scrutinizing her proffered right hand, because his was currently in a splint.  
  
This caused Caitlin to blush once she realized her blunder. He couldn't very well shake her hand with a broken arm!  
  
"Um, why don't you two sit down while I make dinner?" Barry suggested, wanting to ease the awkward tension.  
  
Eager to get things over and done with, Len promptly obeyed, Caitlin following after to start the process of carefully redressing his wounds. As the bandaging around his torso was taken off, Len found it more difficult to sit upright, because the tight binding had acted as artificial support for his back and ribs. It was also getting increasingly difficult to breathe as the pain chose to return and make itself known.  
  
"You definitely have some fractured ribs, may I ask what caused this?" Caitlin asked, keeping herself objective as she gently prodded Len's rib cage. She needed to determine if there were any breaks like in his arm.  
  
"Owl," Len managed to gasp out, his breath shaking.  
  
"How did you escape it?" Barry blurted out in surprise.  
  
Owls weren't common in their kingdom, but it was well known their talons could crush a fairy to death quite easily. So Len either had great skills as a survivalist or simply had the best luck that night.  
  
"Knife, on its foot," Len said, frustrated that he couldn't say more due to the strain it took on his body. The pain was starting to lessen as the the doctor continued to work on him. She was currently applying an ointment that was orange in color and smelled of pine and sage. She had said it was for the inflammation and bruising.  
  
Fortunately, he managed to achieve his goal of impressing Barry. Len didn't know why he was bothering though, because there was no way such a well to do fairy would ever be interested in a thief like him. And why did that bother him so much? He never cared to impress anyone before, let alone consider courting them.  
  
There was definitely something in the air to this place, and Len needed to resist it!  
  
Satisfied she had covered everything, Caitlin then set to work on re-wrapping Len's torso in gauze. She was surprised he hadn't complained about his discomfort or made any sound aside from gasping when a particular spot proved more painful than others. It worried her as to why he kept near silent.  
  
Barry was also bothered by the lack of response. He hadn't failed to notice the various scars along Len's upper body despite most of them being faded. His imagination running wild as to how they got there. How much had this man had to endure? How often did he find himself having to keep quiet as someone tried to hurt him?  
  
Shaking his head to get rid of such dark thoughts, Barry chose to concentrate on making enough food for three. Since he hadn't gone on a supply run, he could only make a small batch of grub stew for now, using the bug shells as edible bowls. But judging by Len's posture as he leaned against the dining table after Caitlin was done wrapping his ribs, the other fairy would probably only be able to handle a light meal at this time.  
  
His prediction proved correct, as the further along he ate, the more Len's eyes began to droop. The medicinal herb Caitlin had provided for pain probably had something to do with it too, as it had a drowsy effect for just about everyone. When he was done eating, Barry took it upon himself to get Len to bed, leaving Caitlin to clean up and wait for him by the door with a small scroll.  
  
"Thank you for dinner, Barry, and here is a list of instructions in case he experiences any fever or pain when I'm not around," she said once he returned to see her off.  
  
"No problem and thank you, but are you sure you'd rather not stay here for the night? It is rather late to be traveling," Barry asked in return, giving her a brief hug as he took the scroll.  
  
"I'm more than capable of defending myself," she replied, lifting one of her hands and emitting a blue light from it. Her last name wasn't just a reference to her wing markings.  
  
Then, she remembered something from earlier and quickly explained: "Oh, I have to warn you, I met Eobard earlier today, and he insisted on visiting."  
  
"Oh boy, what did you tell him?" Barry asked, biting his lip in dread.  
  
"I was able to dissuade him from visiting tonight, but he will definitely stop by in the morning and most likely pop in as often as you'll let him get away with," Caitlin said.  
  
"For real? Is he at least bringing food, cause I'm literally out of everything," Barry couldn't hold back a whine.  
  
"Yes, he said he'd bring breakfast provisions at the very least," Caitlin grumbled, wishing her friend was more prepared for these sorts of things.  
  
With that said, she flew off for home, feeling far better about the situation than she had earlier. Mr. Wynters was clearly no threat, just another patient that was in desperate need of help and compassion. A thing her friend had in spades.  
  
Barry set about putting his house in some sort of order, turning off what needed to be turned off, and retrieving his spare cot from his laboratory in the basement. He often times slept there after working on a project for hours. But he needed to be near Len in case the other fairy needed something in the middle of the night.  
  
Returning to his bedroom, Barry couldn't help but stare in awe as the moonlight from his window hit the bed in a way that magnified Len's features. The pelt around his neck appeared soft and thick, which contrasted with his sharpened jawline and lean frame. It was also nearly white in color, but rather than pale skin to match, Len's skin was naturally tanned, as Barry doubted he went about sunbathing in the harsh snow. It was a beautiful contrast.  
  
  
  
The only thing that marred the image were Len's now uncovered cut and black eye, which reminded Barry that this was a man under his care. A fairy who not so long ago expected to pay him for what should have been considered common decency. Barry's thoughts were inappropriate to say the least.  
  
Sighing, he set up his spare cot on the floor, covered his window, and attempted sleep.  
  
-tbc

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Source to the background used in image one:  
> https://mandydax.deviantart.com/art/Market-Background-2-299789915


End file.
